South Asia Times News Bulletin

Terming internal security as a "critical" matter, India has expressed concern over increased infiltration attempts from Pakistan recently and said these threats shall be overcome "at all costs" with a coordinated efforts between the Centre and states.
Inaugurating the Chief Ministers Conference on Internal Security, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, "Hostile groups and elements operate from across the border to perpetrate terrorist acts in the country. The state of Jammu and Kashmir bears the brunt of the acts of these groups."

He said while there had been a marked decline in the number of terrorist incidents from 2008 to 2009, "infiltration levels have shown an increase in the same period. Recently,

there have been some incidents which are disturbing."

The Prime Minister referred to his recent meetings with the Chief Secretaries where he had called for a coordinated efforts between the Centre and the states to face the threats.

"...We are also aware that the Central government has much more to do," Singh said and gave an assurance that there will be "no let up in our commitment and our efforts."

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, in his opening remarks, referred to the meeting of terror groups like Lashker-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen in Muzzafarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on February four and termed these groups as "dark forces" which are "implacably" opposed to the country.

He asserted that they would be defeated whenever confronted.

"Their weapons are mayhem and violence; and their goal is forcible annexation of Kashmir. Let me make it clear that these dark forces will not succeed in their designs. We will

defeat them whenever and wherever we confront them," Chidambaram said.

The Prime Minister listed various threats to the internal security in the country, including threats from across the border, Naxalism and insurgency in North-east.

"Each one of these threats requires determination, hard work and continuous vigilance to tackle. These threats to our society and country constitute a challenge that we must and shall overcome at all costs," Singh said.

Apart from coordinating efforts, he listed specific steps which the states could take.

"I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Chief Ministers to create special intervention units in their states to enhance the speed and decisiveness of the quick response teams, besides developing specialised commando forces in the states which could be deployed to act as a deterrent to terrorist designs."

Singh said November 2008 terror strikes in Mumbai had "made us painfully aware of the need to strengthen our coastal security."

He said the National Committee on Coastal Security under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary had been constituted to adopt an integrated approach to the issue.

"The Committee has taken action to increase the level of patrolling and surveillance along the Indian coastline and bring about greater coordination between the various agencies that can contribute to security along our coasts."

"The issue of multi-purpose identity cards with biometric features to residents in coastal areas is expected to be completed by September 2010. The process of registration of boats and vessels has gathered momentum," Singh said.

Describing Naxalism as a grave threat, the Home Minister said the Centre had announced that it would encourage state governments to talk to Naxalites if they abjured violence but the offer was scoffed at and spurned by the CPI (Maoist).

"Hence, in consultation with the Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states, we decided to boldly confront the challenge thrown by the CPI (Maoist)," the Home Minister said.

Anti-Naxal response should be calibrated: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said that the response to the left-wing extremism must be "calibrated" to avoid alienation of people, especially those in tribal areas.

The Prime Minister, who was speaking at the Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security in New Delhi, said the anti-Naxal operations should go hand-in-hand with social and economic development.

"Our response to left wing extremism must be calibrated to avoid alienating our people, especially those in tribal areas," he said.

"It must also go hand-in-hand with social and economic development of areas affected by left wing extremism, bringing them into the mainstream of national progress," Singh said.

The Prime Minister, who reaffirmed his earlier stand that Naxalism is the greatest threat to internal security, said, "Tribal communities should get full benefit of our schemes and programmes. This is only possible by improving service delivery in tribal-dominated areas."

The anti-Naxal operation started by the Home Ministry in close coordination with various states will see over 60,000 Central security personnel in action besides the state police forces.